NEW : Tutorial 3 notes with references

1. Review & Prepare

Give feedback to at least two classmates. Reflect on the learning demonstrated in assignment 2 using the evaluation criteria .

Download and install IDX-Renditioner a Sketchup plug-in. Using the free version that produces small images is fine for low-resolution Web images. You will want to use the full version (which is installed on lab computers) for high-resolution print images.

Look for strong examples of geometric patterns and shadows in your everyday environment as well as in books and websites listed below . Sketch possibilities for your shadow structure, looking at different construction modules.

2. Model

Develop a setting for your sculpture within Sketchup. Use at least one new component that strongly features a repeating pattern to create a beautiful setting for shadow patterns. Feel free to adopt historical motifs into contemporary frameworks as if your job is to include reproductions from the museum collection. Demonstrate your ability with geometric transformations, control tools, groups and components. Feel free to include components from the 3D Warehouse to enrich the scene.

3. Find and Save Views

For each view (Scene), you can adjust the shadows separately. Move through the model in 3D, adjusting the zoom and pan to find pleasing views. For each view, you can adjust the shadows separately. Select your favorite views and flesh out the model like a Hollywood set - only the visible parts.

4.  Adjust the Lighting

Create 3 interesting shadow conditions.
- For daylighting, use the Shadows toolbar to manipulate the sun position, adjust background settings.
- For evening and night settings, place IDX-Renditioner component electrical lighting, locating lights and surfaces to create interesting rhythms and shadows. Use point lights for ambient illumination, add cone lights for focus. Start with small quick rendering tests and adjust the luminaire variables (position, brightness, cone angle, color, etc) to see the effects, then render larger, high quality images.

5. Adjust Materials

Adjust background and materials to balance the renderings as time allows. Sparingly add harmonious color and textures. Try limiting bold material patterns so that the shadows dominate. When in doubt, keep it simple.

6. Create, post & explain images

Save the file in SKP format and save 640 x 480 images in high-quality JPG format. Post at least three (3) images with ~250 words of explanatory text to your ePortfolio site. Insert the images onto the page at a smaller size and link them to the large image.

FOR THE ADVANCED

- Model a scene from a painting, then make several renderings including alternative views and lighting.
- Incorporate Ruby Scripts to extend Sketchup functionality.

See Assignment Quality Criteria

Geometric design by Frank Lloyd Wright

REFERENCES

• Ch. 3 of The Geometry of Environment by Philip Steadman and Lionel March, AAA Reserve NA2750 .M26 1974
• 3-point lighting tutorial from Jeremy Birn’s  3drender.com website. See his excellent book Digital Lighting & Rendering, T385 .B557 2000  great platform-independent concepts. 
• Watch the IDX-Renditioner training videos for a quick start.

• Nico's Depth of Field example
• Grammar of Chinese Lattice by Daniel Dye, 1937. AAA NA3583.D9 v.1, KNIGHT 729.38D986 v.1 : beautiful examples like this
• Nancy’s Examples of Geometric Patterns  
• Kali's Symmetry Sketcher: interactive pattern generation - fun!
• Pattern in Math & Art by Pippa Drew and Dorothy Wallace, Dartmouth College. Explains symmetry operations, strong art examples
• Veerle Pieters shows how to create a geometric pattern and a seamless patternin Illustrator, same operations in Sketchup.
• George Eastman House Photographic archive (see Laslo Moholy-Nagy & Man Ray for compositions)
• In Sketchup place an image as a surface texture, then stretch it to fit.
• More links on our class's archgraphics wiki page.